Automatic lamp changing apparatus



Dec. 27, 1966 P. M. FIELD ETAL AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1964 Dec. 27, 1966 P. M. FIELD ETAL 3,

AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I mllm 2 o 29 2/ 47 IIIIHII44 42 wm PHIL/P M. FIELD and ROBERT IV. ROSS INVENTORS Dec. 27, 1966 P. M. FIELD ETAL 3,

AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet I5 PHIL /P M. FIELD and ROBERT N, 17033 INVENTORS Dec. 27, 1966 Filed June P. M. FIELD ETAL AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS 24, 1964 7 sheets-sheet 4 Jun) Dec. 27, 1966 P. M. FIELD ETAL, 3,294,965

AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 PHIL/P M. FIELD and ROBERT N. R055 INVENTORS TOR/VEY Dec. 27, 1966 P. M. FIELD ETAL 3,

AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 I II PHIL /P M. FIELD and ROBERT IV. ROSS INVENTORS A T TOR/VE) 1966 P. M. FIELD ETAL 3,294,965

AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 PHIL/P M. FIELD and ROBERT IV. ROSS INVENTORS AT ORNEY United States Patent 3,294,965 AUTOMATIC LAMP CHANGING APPARATUS Philip M. Field, Maplewood, and Robert N. Ross, Jackson, NJ., assignors to Charles Beseler Company, East Orange, N.J., a partnership Filed June 24, 1964, Ser. No. 377,765 14 Claims. (Cl. 240-371) This invention relates to a lamp changing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for automatically replacing a lamp in an operating station in a piece of apparatus.

Although lamp changing apparatus made in accordance with this invention is of general utility, it is particularly advantageous for use in a class of projectors known as overhead projectors. Such projectors are designed for use by a teacher or lecturer at the front of a room and they are arranged to project a picture over his head onto a vertical screen disposed at the front of the room, thereby permitting the speaker to face the audience while the latter faces the screen.

Briefly, an overhead projector comprises a projection head slidably carried by a vertical post extending from the projector housing. The housing carries the projection lamp and the necessarily associated components of the optical system. Generally, the lamp is positioned proximate to the bottom of the housing and is removably carried by socket-s which serve to connect the lamp into an electrical circuit as well as to position the lamp properly in the optical system of the projector.

Projection lamps operate at relatively high temperatures and have a relatively short, useful life. This is particularly true in the case of a tungsten iodine lamp which is finding increasing use in photographic apparatus of the type under discussion. Consequently, should 'be lamp burn out during actual use of the projector, it cannot immediately be replaced without danger of the operator burning his fingers. Alternatively, the lecture must be interrupted for a period of time suflicient to permit the lamp to cool down to a safe handling temperature.

An object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for automatically removing a defective lamp from its operating station and inserting a replacement lamp into proper position in the operating station.

An object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for replacing a lamp disposed within a housing, which apparatus is operable from the exterior of the housing.

An object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for supporting a lamp in an operating station by a pair of sockets, said apparatus being operable to disengage the sockets from the lamp, remove the lamp from the operating station, inserting a replacement lamp in the operating station and reestablishing engagement between the replacement lamp and the sockets.

An object of this invention is the provision of apparatus comprising a rotatable drum carrying a plurality of lamps, sockets for normally supporting a first lamp in an operating station, operating means for effecting a disengagement of the sockets from the first lamp and rotating the drum thereby to replace the first lamp with a second lamp at the operating station and to re-estalblish operative relationship with the sockets and the second lamp.

An object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for positioning a selected one of a plurality of lamps in an operating station within a housing, said apparatus comprising a drum carrying the lamps, a pair of sockets movable from first positions wherein they support a lamp in the operating station to sec-0nd positions wherein they are disengaged from the lamp, means operable from the exterior of the housing to move the sockets trom the first to the second positions and back to the first positions, and means rotating the drum to position a lamp into a position to be engaged by the sockets as they are returned to their first positions.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and are not to be construed as defining the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of apparatus made in accordance with this invention, with certain parts broken away and some parts omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view taken [from the left side of the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view taken from the front of the apparatus but with the lamp-carrying drum and associated parts omitted;

FIGURE '4 is a fragmentary isometric view, with the reflector and the lamp-carrying drum omitted, and showing the operating rod and the lamp sockets in the normal positions;

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the operating rod rotated to effect disengagement of the sockets from the lamp;

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of the lamp-carrying drum with the ratchet and associated crank arm omitted;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary isometric view drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing one arrangement for retaining the lamp in a predetermined orientation with respect to the lamp-carrying fingers;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional View taken along line IX-IX of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X of FIGURE 6 and including the reflector support, the operating rod and the crank arm; and,

FIGURES 11 through 13 are similar to FIGURE 10 but showing the lamp-changing drum rotated to different positions by the operating rod and rocker arm.

Reference now is made to FIGURES 13, wherein the lamp 10 is shown positioned in the operating station, said lamp being clampingly held in such position by the spaced sockets 11 and 12. The illustrated lamp is a conventional tungsten iodine lamp, which lamp is suitable for use in any position but is here shown operating in a horizontal position. Such lamp has a central cylindrical portion 13, carrying the filament, and flattened end portions 14 and 15 carrying the ceramic tubes 16 and 17, respectively. The ceramic tubes carry the lamp contacts for connecting the filament into an electric circuit. The sockets, made of ceramic, are provided with semi-cylindrical recesses for receiving the ceramic tubes of the lamp thereby to support the lamp in a predetermined plane. Also, each socket includes prod-like tips having a flexible lead connected thereto, which tips are designed to engage the lamp contacts, when the sockets are biased toward the lamp, axially.

Disposed below the lamp is a concave reflector 20 carried by a support member 21, which member is secured in fixed position on the platform 22. In the case of an overhead projector, those skilled in this art will know that the reflector directs light rays upwardly through a Fresnel lens and through a horizontal projection stage.

Referring specifically to the socket 11, this socket is secured to a U-shaped plate 25, as by screws and nuts.

The lower edge of the plate is spaced from the base of a U-shaped bracket 26, which bracket is secured in fixed position on the platform 22. One upwardly-directed end of the bracket 26 is pivotally connected to the ininwardly-directed end of the plate 25 by a screw 27, whereas the other corresponding ends of the bracket and plate are pivotally connected together by a dual-headed rivet 28. The screw 27 passes through a clearance hole provided in a flat bar 29 and through a hole formed in the L-shaped bracket 30, the latter being secured to the platform as by screws or welding. It will be apparent that the plate 25, carrying the socket 11, is rotatable, relative the U-shaped bracket 26 about an axis defined by the aligned screw 27 and the rivet 28.

The flat rod 29 includes an end portion 32, a central portion 33 bent at a right angle thereto, and an end portion 34 disposed below an actuating arm 35, said arm being pivotally connected to an L-shaped bracket 36 that is secured to the platform 22. The central portion 33, of the flat rod, is welded, or otherwise secured to the vertically-extending base portion of the U-shaped plate 25. Consequently, when the projecting end 34, of the fiat rod 29, is pressed downwardly by the actuating arm 34, the socket 11 is rotated about the screw 27 in a direction such that the upper portion of the socket moves away from that lamp, that is, the socket becomes disengaged from the lamp.

The other socket 12 is similarly mounted on a U-shaped plate 40, the inwardly-directed ends of which are pivotally connected to corresponding upwardly-directed ends of a U-shaped bracket 41 that is secured in fixed position on the platform. One of such pivotal connections comprises the screw 42 which passes through a clearance hole formed in the fiat, L-shaped rod 43 and a hole formed in the L-shaped supporting bracket 44. The L-shaped fiat rod 43 has an end portion 45 welded, or otherwise secured to the U-shaped plate 40 and an end portion 46 overlapping the similar end portion 32, of the flat rod 29. These overlapping portions of the two flat rods are pivotally coupled together by means of a double headed rivet 47 carried by the rod end portion 32 and passing through an elongated slot formed in the overlapping rod portion 46. A coiled spring 50 (see FIGURE 1) is carried by the screw 27, one end of the spring resting upon the platform 22 and the other end looped over the flat rod portion 32. Such spring is pretensioned to provide a relatively strong force biasing the rod portion 32 downwardly toward the platform. A similar spring 51 is carried by the screw 42. It will be apparent that when the mechanism is in the position illus trated in FIGURE 1, the springs 50 and 51 provide the forces for pressing the two sockets 11 and 12 toward the lamp ends, thereby retaining the lamp in proper position and providing good electrical contact between the lamp contacts and the contact prods carried by the sock ets. Further, a downward depression of the projecting end portion 34 (of the flat rod 29) results in a simultaneous pivotal movement of both sockets away from the associated lamp ends, thereby disengaging the sockets from the lamp, electrically and mechanically. The described pivotal movement of the sockets is effected by means of a cam 73 secured to the operating shaft 54, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow.

The operating shaft 54, rotatably positioned above the platform by a plate 55 and an L-shaped bracket 56, has a knob 57 attached at one end and a bushing 58 attached to the other end. This bushing has a crank arm 59 welded thereto, which crank arm is pivotally coupled to a rocker arm 60 by a double-headed rivet 61. Also secured to the operating shaft 54 is a cam 62 which is adapted to actuate the operating lever 63 of a normally-closed, singlepole micro switch 64. One terminal of the micro switch is connected to the contact prod of the socket 11, carried by the U-shaped plate 25 (see FIGURE 2), by a flexible, insulated lead 66. The other terminal of the micro switch and the contact prod of the other socket would be connected by similar leads to a source of voltage for energizing the filament of the lamp 1%.

As shown particularly in FIGURES l and 2, the specific lamp 10 is supported in the operating station by the sockets 11 and I2, which sockets are spring biased toward the lamp. The micro switch contacts are closed, whereby the lamp is connected to the voltage source. It is here pointed out that although the lamp is clampingly retained in the operating station by the sockets, the ceramic tubes, at each lamp end, are retained between the free ends of spaced resilient fingers 7t), 71 (see particularly FIGURE 1), which fingers are formed integral with a joining base portion that is riveted to a reversely-disposed, U-shaped supporting bracket pivotally carried by a rotatable drum, the construction of which will be described hereinbelow. For the present, attention is directed to the ratchet mechanism generally identified by the numeral 69- in FIGURE 1. The ratchet mechanism, which is of conventional construction, is so arranged that for a predetermined rotation of the operating shaft 54-, the rotation of the ratchet mechanism, by the rocker arm 6%, does not impart rotation to the drum. Thereafter, continued rotation of the operating shaft imparts a reverse movement to the rocker arm whereby the ratchet mechanism imparts rotation to the drum.

Reference now is made to FIGURE 4, which is a somewhat diagrammatic presentation of the apparatus which has been described in detail to this point, the operating shaft 54 being broken for clarity of disclosure. The cams 62 and '73 are secured to and rotate with the operating shaft 54. The cam 62 is circular, aligned with the pivoted operating lever 63 of the micro switch 64 and is provided with a peripheral notch accommodating the free end of said operating lever. In the illustrated position of the cam, the operating lever is in the raised position and the switch contacts are closed. For all other positions of the cam, the lever is depressed and the switch contacts are open. The actuating arm 35 is pivotally attached to the L-shaped bracket as and carries a roller '75 lying in the plane of the cam 73. As the knob 57 is rotated in the indicated direction, the cam 62 first opens the micro switch contacts after which the constant radius portion of the cam 73 depresses the roller '75. The resulting clockwise rotation of the actuating arm 35 depresses the projecting end portion 34, of the fiat rod 29, thereby causing the socket 11 and the flat rod portion 32 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about the screW 27. At the same time, the stated rotation of the flat plate portion 32 causes the coupled plate portion 46 and the socket 12 to rotate a corresponding angular extent in a clockwise direction about the screw 42. The lever arms of the various coupled members are so chosen that the two sockets are mechanically disengaged from the lamp 110 during the t me when the roller '75 rides on the constant radius port1on of the cam 73. Under such condition, the lamp is supported by the flexible fingers 7t) and 71, which fingers are carried by the drum. Thus, the lamp can now be transported from the operating station upon rotation of the drum,

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 4 but shows the operating shaft rotated approximately degrees. Obviously, the micro switch contacts remain in the open .position and the sockets remain disengaged from the lamp. However, the rocker arm 60 has been advanced toward the drum substantially a maximum extent. Such movement of the rocker arm, from the starting position, shown in FIGURE 4, to that shown in FIGURE 5, will be called the return stroke. During this return stroke of the rocker arm, the ratchet mechanism has been conditioned so that it will rotate the drum upon the forward stroke of the rocker arm, which stroke is effected upon rotation of the operating shaft 54 beyond the position shown in FIGURE 5. During the forward stroke of the rocker arm, the drum is rotated thereby to remove the lamp 10 from the operating station and to position a replacement lamp at such station.

Reference now is made to FIGURE 6, which is an isometric view of the drum. Actually, the particular drum shown in the drawings is constructed to carry three lamps, the lowermost lamp and its supporting mechanism being omitted from FIGURE 6 for clarity of disclosure. The drum comprises a disc 80 rigidly secured to one end of a relatively thick-walled tube 81 and a tri-fingered member 82 rigidly secured to the other end of the tube. A supporting rod 83 passes through the tube 81 and extends through aligned holes formed in the upstanding arms of the mounting bracket 84, which bracket is secured to the platform 22 (see also FIGURES 1 and 2). As shown in I FIGURE 1, the right hand end of the rod 83 carries the ratchet mechanism, generally identified by the numeral 69 and a radial pin 86 is driven through aligned holes formed in the tube 81 and the rod 83, whereby the drum is rotated during the forward movement of the rocker arm 60.

Reverting back to FIGURE 6, the lamp is shown in the operating station and is supported at the free ends of the fingers 70 and 71. Inasmuch as the tungsten iodine lamps are designed for operation in a position wherein the flattened end portions of the lamp lie in a predetermined plane, it is important that the fingers support the lamp in such manner as to assure a proper positioning of the lamp filament in the operating station. One construction of the fingers, for this purpose, is illustrated in the enlarged, fragmentary, isometric view of FIGURE 7 and the cross-sectional view of FIGURE 8, the latter view being taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7. The illustrated finger 70 is provided with a hole somewhat larger than the ceramic lamp end 16. Four detents 87 are formed in the finger, the upper two detents being spaced from the lower two detents by a distance equal to the thickness of the flattened lamp portion 14. The lamp-supporting fingers are relatively long and are made of a suitable heat resistant spring material such as, for example, Inconel. Thus, the fingers can be spread apart to insert the ceramic lamp ends through the aligned holes and to position the flattened lamp portions between the appropriate detents. Preferably, the two fingers are formed of a single strip of metal and the bends are formed so that the free ends of the fingers normally are spaced apart a distance less than that dictated by the particular lamp. Consequently, the lamp is firmly suported by the fingers and restrained against rotation. Importantly, when the lamp is transported to the operating station, the flattened end portions of the lamp lie in a predetermined plane which, in the case illustrated, happens to be horizontal. Thus, the lamp filament is properly positioned in the optical system of the particular apparatus.

Again reverting to FIGURE 6, the base portion, of the fingers 70, 71, is riveted to a reversely-bent, U-shaped supporting bracket 90 having aligned holes formed in the integral arms 91 and 92. A rod 93 passes through such aligned holes and through corresponding holes formed in the disc 80 and in the finger 94 of the tri-fingered member 82. Pivotally secured to the end of the arm 92 is a roller 95, which is arranged to roll along the peripheral surface of a cam member 96. This cam member is secured in fixed position on the upright arm of the mounting bracket 84. A second lamp 10a is similarly carried by the fingers 70a and 71a secured to the U-shaped supporting bracket 90a (which bracket is pivotaly mounted on the rod 93a) and carrying the roller 95a, it being noted, however, that the rod 93a is carried by the disc 80 and the finger 94a of the tri-fingered member 82. A third lamp and its supporting mechanism, omitted in FIGURE 6, is similarly carried by the drum.

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIGURE 6 and shows the three lamps 10, 10a and 10b, and the respective supporting fingers 70, 70a and 79b, each such fingers being secured to the associated U-shaped supporting bracekts 90, 90a and 90b.

The latter brackets are pivotally carried by the associated rods 93, 93a and 93b, which rods are carried by the disc of the drum. The rod 93 carries a spring 98 having one end extending over the relatively thick-walled tube 81 and the other end extending over the supporting bracket 90. This spring is pretensioned to bias the supporting bracket for rotation in a counterclockwise direction about the rod 93. However, the extent of such rotation of the bracket is determined by the angular position of the roller carried by the arm of the bracket 93, as will be described hereinbelow. Similarly, the springs 98a and 98b provide biasing forces tending to rotate the associated brackets a and 90b in counterclockwise directions about the respective rods 93a and 93b. It will be noted that drum disc 80 is provided with notches 99, 99a and 99b, spaced 120 degrees apart. A resilient leaf spring 160, carried by a block 101 which is secured to the upright arm of the mounting bracket 84, cooperates with the notches to provide an indexing arrangement. Thus, in the illustrated position, the lamp 10 is positioned at the lamp operating station. A 120-degree counterclockwise rotation of the disc 80 will bring the notch 99 into registry with the leaf spring. During such rotation of the disc, the lamp 10 is moved to occupy the illustrated position of the lamp 191), while, at the same time, the lamp 10a is moved to occupy the illustrated position of the lamp 10. The mechanism for effecting the necessary rotation of the lamps about the individual rods 93, 93a and 93b will now be described with reference to FIG- URES 10-13.

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX of FIGURE 6. The lamp 10 is positioned in the operating station, in which position the lamp is spaced a short distance above the reflector 20 carried by the housing 21 which is secured in fixed'position to the platform 22. As has been pointed out above, the cam 96 is secured in fixed position on the upright arm of the mounting bracket 84. This particular view shows the three fingens 94, 94a and 94b of the tri-fingered member 82. When the lamp 10 and is in the operating station, the associated roller 95 (see also FIGURE 6) is in contact with the substantially flat portion of the peripheral surface of the cam 96, whereas the rollers 95a and 95b, associated respectively with the lamps 10a and 10b, are in contact with the constant radius peripheral portion of the cam. All of the rollers are maintained in contact with the peripheral surface of the cam 96 by the biasing forces supplied by the individual springs carried by the rods 93, 93a and 93b, such springs 98, 98a and 98b being visible in FIGURE 9. It will be clear that these springs tend to rotate the associated lamp-carrying fingers in a clockwise direction about the rods 93, 93a and 93b, as viewed in FIGURE 10.

In FIGURE 10, the crank arm 59 and the rocker arm 60 are shown in the same position as in FIGURE 4, that is, the lamp 10 is in the operating station and engaged by the sockets. The crank arm 59 rotates with the operating rod 54 and is pivotally coupled to the rocker arm 60 by a dual headed rivet 61. As the operating rod 54 is rotated about 90 degrees, in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 10, the return stroke is imparted to the rocker arm, that is, the rocker arm is moved in the direction of the ratchet mechanism without effecting rotation of the drum. During such return stroke of the rocker arm, the electrical circuit to the lamp has been opened and the sockets have been disengaged from the lamp 10, as has been described hereinabove with reference to FIGURES 4 and 5. Just prior to the point where the rocker arm 60 reaches its maximum return stroke, the ratchet mechanism becomes effective so that thereafter the forward stroke of the rocker arm will impart rotation to the drum.

FIGURE 11 shows the position of the drum when the rocker arm 60 has been moved a distance substantially equal to one half of its forward stroke, resulting in a clockwise rotation of the drum of approximately 55 degrees. The roller 95b is still in contact with the constant radius portion of the cam 96 but the roller 95a has been moved to the fiat portion of the cam. At the same time, the roller 95, not visible in this particular view, has been moved into engagement with the constantradius portion of the cam. It being borne in mind that the lamp-carrying fingers are spring biased for clockwise rotation about their respective rods, the transfer of the three rollers to their new positions results in the illustrated positions of the lamps 1.0, llfla and ltlb. Thus, the lamp 1 .0 has been subjected to a combined counterclockwise rotation about the associated rod 93 and a linear displacement to the left relative to the reflector housing 21. The extent of such combined linear and angular displacement of the lamp It) is determined by the contour of the flat portion of the cam and its slope relative to vertical. Inasmuch as the housing 21, carrying the reflector, is secured in fixed position on the platform, the described linear and angular movement of the lamp, in response to the described rotation of the drum, transports the lamp away from the operating station and clear of the lens housing.

A further advance in the forward stroke of the rocker arm 66 is illustrated in FIGURE 12. In this position of the drum, the roller b5, associated with the removed lamp l0, rides on the constant radius portion of the cam 96 whereby the lamp is disposed in substantially horizontal position and spaced from the reflector housing 21. Now, however, the roller 95a, associated with the replacement lamp ltla, rides on the cut portion of the cam, whereby the lamp has been rotated about the associated rod 93a, as illustrated, it being noted that the roller 5a has not yet reached the central, pronounced, concave portion of the cam. This point is reached when the rocker arm reaches the limit of its forward stroke, as shown in FIGURE 13, whereby the lamp a now is positioned in the operating station and properly oriented in a horizontal position.

As the operating rod 54 is rotated beyond the point shown in FIGURE 13, the rocker arm is again displaced along its return stroke without imparting rotation to the drum. During the entire return stroke of the rocker arm, the replacement lamp MM is supported in the operating station. However, as the rocker arm approaches the limit of its forward stroke, the cam 73, see FIGURE 5, will have been rotated to the point where the roller 75 leaves the constant-radius portion of such cam and rides on the fiat cam portion whereby the actuating arm 35 is free to be raised by the projecting portion 34 of the fiat rod 29 (see FIGURE 4). Such upward movement of the projecting rod portion 34 is effected by the forces provided by the springs 50, 51. Simultaneously, the sockets are rotated into firm engagement with the lamp ends. After the sockets have been brought into firm engagement with the lamp ends, the notch on the cam 62 (see FIGURE 4) comes into registery with the end of the micro switch operating lever 63, thereby resulting in a closure of the switch contacts to complete the electrical circuit between the replacement lamp and the source of voltage.

In summary, continuous rotation of the operating knob 57 results in the following sequence of operation:

(1) The electrical circuit to the lamp, positioned in the operating station, is broken by the opening of the that the drum is rotated upon the forward, or drive, stroke of the rocker arm,

(5) Rotation of the drum imparts a combined linear and rotary motion to the lamp thereby removing such lamp from the operating station,

(6) When the rocker arm is at the limit of its drive stroke, a replacement lamp is positioned in the operating station, with its flattened portions lying in a horizontal plane,

(7) The sockets then are pivotally returned to their original positions and in firm engagement with the replacement lamp, both mechanically and electrically,

(8) The electrical circuit to the replacement lamp is completed by a closure of the micro switch contacts.

It will now be apparent that the entire lamp-changing arrangement can be positioned within a normally-closed housing with the operating rod, of the apparatus, extending through an opening provided in a side wall of the housing, thereby making it unnecssary for the operator to open the housing in order to replace a defective lamp.

Having now described our invention, those skilled in this art will be able to make various changes and modifications in the illustrated construction and arrangement of the various components without thereby departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the following claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus comprising,

(a) a pair of axially aligned sockets normally positioned to support a lamp in an operating station,

(b) mounting means supporting the sockets for movement between first positions wherein the sockets support a lamp positioned in the operating station to second positions wherein the sockets are disengaged from such lamp,

(c) a rotatable member carrying a plurality of lamps and rotatable about an axis parallel to that of the sockets,

(d) operating means operable to move the said sockets between said first and second positions, and

(e) means actuated by the said operating means to rotate said rotatable member to position a lamp in the operating station when the sockets are in the second positions.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamps are of the double-ended type with an electrical contact at each end, and wherein each socket includes a contact prod for engaging the associated lamp contact when the sockets are in the first positions.

3. The invention as recited in claim 2, wherein each lamp is carried by a pair of spaced fingers, each pair of fingers being pivotally mounted for rotation about individual axes parallel to the axis of the said rotatable member, and including means rotating each pair of fingers upon rotation of the rotatable member.

4. The invention as recited in claim 2, including means retaining each lamp in a predetermined orientation relative to the associated pair of fingers.

5. Apparatus comprising,

(a) a rotatable member,

(b) a plurality of sets of spaced fingers pivotally carried by the rotatable member for rotation about individual axes parallel to that of the rotatable member,

(0) a double-ended lamp carried by each set of fingers at the free ends thereof,

(d) a pair of spaced sockets,

(e) mounting means supporting the sockets for movement between first positions wherein the sockets engage a lamp disposed in an operating station to second positions wherein the sockets are disengaged from such lamp,

(f) a rotatable operating rod,

(g) first means actuated upon a predetermined rotation of the operating rod to move the sockets to the second positions,

(h) second means actuated upon a further rotation of the operating rod to rotate said rotatable member to position a lamp in the operating station, and

(i) means effective upon a still further rotation of the operating rod to actuate said first means to move said sockets to the first positions.

6. The invention as recited in claim 5, wherein each lamp has an electrical contact at each end, wherein each socket carries a contact prod having a lead wire secured thereto, and wherein the said sockets are spring biased toward each other when in the first positions, thereby to establish electrical contact between the socket contact prods and the lamp contacts.

7. The invention as recited in claim 6, including a normally-closde switch connected to the lead wire of one of said sockets, and means actuated upon rotation of the operating knob to open said switch before actuation of the said first means.

8. The invention as recited in claim 5, including means formed on at least one finger of each set to retain the associated lamp in a predeterminedorientation with respect to the fingers.

9. The invention as recited in claim 5, including indexing means mechanically associated with said rotatable member, said indexing means preventing free rotation of the rotatable member when one of the lamps is in the operating station.

10. The invention as recited in claim 5, including spring means biasing each set of fingers for rotation in the same direction about the said individual axes, and limiting means restricting the rotation of each set of fingers to a predetermined extent.

11. The invention as recited in claim 10, wherein said limited means comprises a cam mounted in fixed position with respect to the rotatable member, said cam having a constant radius peripheral surface portion concentric with the axis of the rotatable member and a substantially mono-planar peripheral surface portion extending in both directions from a central concave portion, and individual rollers mechanically coupled to each set of fingers, each roller being biased into engagement with the peripheral surface of said cam by the said spring means.

12. Automatic lamp positioning and replacing apparatus comprising,

(a) a rotatable drum,

(b) a plurality of sets of spaced fingers pivotally carried by the drum for rotation about individual axes parallel to the drum axis,

() a tungsten iodine lamp carried by each set of fingers at the free ends thereof,

(d) a pair of spaced sockets for engagement with a lamp when the lamp is positioned in an operating station,

(e) means mounting said sockets for rotation about axes normal to the axis of a lamp positioned in the operating station,

(f) an actuating arm secured to one socket and rotatable about the axis of said socket,

(g) a linkage member secured to the other socket and rotatable about the axis 'of said socket, said linkage member being pivotally coupled to said actuating arm,

(h) spring means normally biasing the sockets about their respective axes in a direction toward each other,

(i) a rotatable operating knob,

(j) means actuated upon a predetermined rotation of the operating knob to rotate said actuating arm thereby resulting in a simultaneous rotation of the sockets in a direction away from each other,

(k) second means actuated upon a further rotation of the operating rod to impart a predetermined rotation to the drum thereby to position a lamp in the operating station, and

(1) means rendering ineffective the said first means upon a still further rotation of the operating knob, whereby the said spring means rotates said sockets into engagement with the lamp positioned in the operating station.

13. The invention as recited in claim 12, including spring means tending to rotate each set of fingers in the same direction about the said individual axis; a cam mounted in fixed position with respect to the drum, said cam having a substantially mono-planar peripheral surface portion joined to a uniform radius peripheral portion, which latter portion is concentric with the drum axis; individual rollers mechanically coupled to each set of fingers; and spring means biasing each roller into engage ment with the peripheral surface of the cam.

14. The invention as recited in claim 12, wherein each socket carries a contact prod for engagement with the contacts of the lamp positioned in the operating station, and including a normally-closed switch having one terminal connected to a contact prod of one socket, and switch-actuating means actuated upon rotation of the operating rod, said switch actuating means opening said switch prior to the rotation of said actuating arm by the said first means and said switch actuating means maintain the switch in the open position until the sockets have been rotated into engagement with the lamp positioned in the operating station.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,107,862 10/1963 Moore et a1 240-13 3,228,286 1/1966 Jarvis.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. C. R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS COMPRISING, (A) A PAIR OF AXIALLY ALIGNED SOCKETS NORMALLY POSITIONED TO SUPPORT A LAMP IN AN OPERATING STATION, (B) MOUNTING MEANS SUPPORTING THE SOCKETS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST POSITIONS WHEREIN THE SOCKETS SUPPORT A LAMP POSITIONED IN THE OPERATING STATION TO SECOND POSITIONS WHEREIN THE SOCKETS ARE DISENGAGED FROM SUCH LAMP, (C) A ROTATABLE MEMBER CARRYING A PLURALITY OF LAMPS AND ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THAT OF THE SOCKETS, (D) OPERATING MEANS OPERABLE TO MOVE THE SAID SOCKETS BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, AND (E) MEANS ACTUATED BY THE SAID OPERATING MEANS TO ROTATE SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TO POSITION A LAMP IN THE OPERATING STATION WHEN THE SOCKETS ARE IN THE SECOND POSITIONS. 